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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/30009837">The Gorgeous Girl Genius</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheEmeraldLegend/pseuds/TheEmeraldLegend'>TheEmeraldLegend</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Explicit Language, F/M, Mild Sexual Content, Other Additional Tags to Be Added</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 21:01:47</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>9,137</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/30009837</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheEmeraldLegend/pseuds/TheEmeraldLegend</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>In another life, could you have had a better shot? Been treated better? Done better things? Be a better person? Do we never get a second chance at ourselves? Who cares? Not Miu Iruma! She's stuck in a killing game with 15 others and she's got to focus on not dying! She's perfectly fine with who she is... right?</p>
<p>A slightly soft rewrite of V3 featuring Miu as the protagonist! Join the vulgar vixen as she has to use her golden brain and technological talents to figure out who committed murder all while dealing with some personal issues. Can she correctly deduce the culprit or will her unpopular mouth tear down her whole argument?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Iruma Miu/K1-B0, Other Relationship Tags to Be Added</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>15</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Prologue: The Ultimate Inventor's Application</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Take a seat. We have plenty of time to talk.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em> Please state your name and age. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Miu Iruma. Nineteen years.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> What high school do you currently attend? </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Shinmei Industries High School.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Tell me about your talent and achievements. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Ultimate Inventor. I invented and sold the rights to Eye-Drop Contacts, my first invention. After that, I created several other innovative new products, including Fluid Cleaners, Flavored Inhalers, and Color Correction Glasses.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>CC Glasses? My wife uses those.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>Is her eyesight fucked up or is she just colorblind?</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Just colorblind. Now, back to business. Why do you want to join the UEF? What skills could you bring to the team? </em>
</p><p> </p><p>I am incredibly talented with all kinds of mechanical systems. Electronics and machinery are my specialties. I believe I can produce several inventions that will benefit the mission and assist with repair if anything breaks.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Fair. You certainly have a long list of qualifications. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>You betcha, Mr. H!</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Tell me. Why do you wish to assist in this mission? What do you hope to gain out of all of this? </em>
</p><p> </p><p>I want to help as many people as I can with my inventions. This seems to be an incredible opportunity to do that.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Admirable. You certainly sound very selfless. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>I get that a lot.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Now, for the final question. What do you think of yourself? Who is Miu Iruma to you? </em>
</p><p> </p><p>...</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Is something wrong? </em>
</p><p> </p><p>No, I just... wasn’t expecting that question...</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Is there a problem with that? </em>
</p><p> </p><p>No, no. I just need a moment to think.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Take as long as your need, Ms. Iruma. It’s merely a way to gauge your personality. If you’re the type of person we want on the UEF. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>...Can I be honest with you?</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> As honest as you like. I shall not judge you. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>...Alright. I think I know how to phrase it.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Let’s hear it, then. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>I see myself as-</p><p> </p><p>
  <span class="u"> <strong>[END OF RECORDING]</strong> </span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <strong>Such a shame... It was about to get to the good part.</strong>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 1: Books of Blood and Betrayal, Part 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The Ultimate Inventor gets a request while a threat is looming over everyone's heads.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>
    <span>crank... crank... crank...</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The only sound that filled the room was the metal clangs of a wrench tightening the bolts on a new project by a young girl with a technically advanced mind.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Alone with her only source of company being her thoughts, Miu Iruma, the Ultimate Inventor, toiled away at her newest invention in her research lab. She hadn’t come up with an official name yet, so for now she referred to it as The Sleepyshake. Using a blender she nabbed from the cafeteria, she was going to do what she did a thousand times already: make it work in her sleep. While not the highest on anyone’s priorities, it was something to keep her occupied until tomorrow night.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Just the thought of tomorrow night’s deadline made her knees shake in fear. That damned Monokuma and his weird kids declared if no one was dead by then, an army of Monokumas would descend upon all of them and turn no dead bodies into sixteen. Logically speaking, it made sense for someone to kill. One measly dead body is a fuckton better than sixteen, especially since the killer had been promised freedom. Whatever that class trial thing that he was talking about would be skipped and whoever had the guts to kill someone they barely knew would get off scot-free. The rest of them would be left behind. If there were any heartless bastards among them, it was a golden opportunity.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Miu had no intent to kill anyone. She didn’t want to fucking die, but she wasn’t capable of murder...she hoped. All she could do was hope that something would happen to stop Monok-</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>BANG BANG BANG</b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The sudden loud banging on the door caught her so off guard that she dropped her wrench, nearly knocking the blender off her workbench. “Shit!” she cursed as she grabbed the fallen tool and slammed it down on the table. “I’m coming! Give me a fuckin’ second...” After making sure no other tools or parts were knocked over, Miu walked over to the door and threw it open angrily. She found her visitor was Kaito Momota, continuing to refuse to fully wear his jacket and smiling like a dumbass as always. “What the fuck do you want?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s no way to treat an ally!” Brushing off her annoyance, Kaito pushed past her and entered the lab. He examined the interior with his hands on his hips, not even looking at Miu as he spoke. “You’ve been a little busy, huh? What have you been working on? Any weapons?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Closing the door, Miu crossed her arms as she waited by the entrance, hoping that his visit wouldn’t take long. “No. I don’t make weapons. I know machines. Metal. Gears and wiring and that kind of shit. Not guns and swords.” She noticed him eyeing her work-in-progress. “That’s a blender, idiot.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>That didn’t seem to faze Kaito as he approached the workbench anyway. “Is it for blending people or just fruits and stuff?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>”Fruits!” Miu snapped angrily. “It’s gonna blend things while you sleep. Got a problem with that?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Shrugging, Kaito went back to looking around the room. “Sounds kinda cool. A nice fruit smoothie first thing in the morning doesn’t sound too bad.” He found a blueprint on another table and inspected it in silence for a moment before turning to Miu. “Are you sure you don’t have anything that can be used as a weapon?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Miu sighed in frustration as she rubbed her temples. “No! Why the fuck do you need weapons anyway!?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Straightening up, Kaito’s face took on a more serious look as he came a bit closer to Miu so they wouldn’t have to raise their voices. “I’m planning to fight the army of Monokumas tomorrow night. I’ll need weapons and a fighting force, and you’re my best chance at finding decent weapons.” She was surprised at how serious he was being. From the brief time she had known him, Kaito only seemed like a naive man-child. Now he was standing before her, talking about fighting a robot army. “I’ve already got a few people together. Besides me, there’s Gonta and Tenko. Ryoma said he’d help if I got some decent weapons and Kiibo said he’d join in if I got enough people together. This is our only chance of survival. Please, Miu. I need your help.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>That was a lot to take in for her. She leaned against the wall, starting to think the offer over. As she did, Kaito came even closer, staring down at her with his piercing gaze. She’d never seen someone look so serious. It was...overwhelming.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I-I can’t! I don’t have any weapons and there’s not enough time for me to make anything good enough to use, let alone a bunch of them!” She wandered over to one of the tables where she worked on her blueprints. There were a collection of ideas she planned to work on if she didn’t die in two days. A juicer that juices in your sleep. A lawnmower that cuts the grass while you sleep. A machine that cleans your ears while you sleep. Nothing that could face an army of robots. “And what about the Exisals? They could join in, too! Then it’d be an army of teddy bears and five fuckin’ giant robots! You can’t fight those things!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Refusing to take no for answer, Kaito persisted in his request. “What if you could hack them? If we used those, we’d stand a fighting chance! Come on, you can’t just give up! What kind of Ultimate are you?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Me? What about you, Mr. Forgery!?” she snapped back, her panic turning to anger. “Can the Ultimate Astronaut fly a spaceship? Oh, that’s right, you haven’t even completed training yet! You can’t go to space and I can’t make any weapons! Stop stroking your own cock and find some other damn weapons!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He wasn’t happy with that. He angrily clenched his fist before he yelled back at Miu. “That doesn’t matter! I’m going to be the best astronaut in the world and I wasn’t gonna wait for it! But right now, we are going to die if we just sit around on our asses! Stop acting like a coward and do something!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Miu screamed as she knocked over a gear. “I can’t! It’s too much for me! I can’t build anything to take down something like that in a day. It’s impossible! I just can’t do it. I’m sorry...”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>There was a moment of silence before Kaito began to come closer. “Nothing’s impossible unless you let it be. Hard work, real effort, and undying determination are what make the impossible reality. That’s what my old man told me...” Staring directly into her eyes, his gaze was once again full of those exact qualities. “Please, Miu. You’re our only hope.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She was frozen under his gaze. That stare, that power, it made her tremble. Her lip began to quiver as she was unable to find any words. Nothing came out. She simply hung her head in shame, shivering as a barely audible “I’m sorry...” left her mouth.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Once again, he was quiet. Letting out a disappointed sigh, he walked back to the entrance, pausing at the door. “Can’t say I didn’t expect an outcome like this, but I was hopeful. A real man finishes what they start, and that’s what I intend to do. If you can even get to the starting line, what does that make you? If we all die tomorrow night... that blood is on your hands.” He left the lab, leaving her in the heavy silence left by his words.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It took a minute, but eventually, Miu was able to calm herself down. She knew she couldn’t build him those weapons and she didn’t want the last thing she did before she died was failing to finish a project. There was no obligation to help him. He was just putting pressure on her. But that look in his eyes... Those words of his... They lingered, as much as she refused to accept them.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She shook her head, stomping back to her workbench to continue working on the blender. This was the right thing. Blood on her hands... Fucking liar. It’s not her responsibility to save everyone. There were sixteen of them stuck in this place together. She didn’t know them. None of them knew each other. They were practically strangers. No one had any reason to save anyone but themselves. Maybe that idiot actually would find a way to stop them. Or maybe someone else would have a smarter id-</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>knock knock knock</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The quieter knock didn’t surprise her as much as the previous thundering banging. She groaned, tossing the wrench she was using off to the side, and went to answer the door, throwing it open angrily. “WHAT!?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Shuichi Saihara, the boy detective, was so startled by the angry wrench-wielding inventor that he dropped the heavy bag he had over his shoulder. The sack fell into the dirt, some of its contents spilling out. There were a couple of instant cameras and what looked like motion sensors. He quickly gathered everything back up and picked the bag back up. Seeing this wasn’t the space idiot, she calmed down a little. “Sorry. What do you want, Shuichi?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Trying not to drop the bag again, Shuichi looked at Miu with a pleading gaze. “May I come in? Please?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The girl crossed her arms. “Not without a good reason.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>”I need your help,” he told her.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>”Seems that’s a fuckin’ trend today,” she replied, not that enthusiastic after her last request. She noticed Shuichi read her body language. Her apparent anger wasn’t enough, to dissuade him, so it must have been important.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I saw Kaito leaving earlier. He said something about you being a coward. I don’t know what happened between you two, but you’re the only one who can help me.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Miu rolled her eyes. “Sounds a lot like what he told me. Look, I don’t want to reject you, but I’m not in the mood for it right now. Come back tomorrow morning or something. Just think of my tits to get you through tonight.” She turned and began to close the door.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>”I think I can stop the mastermind from creating the Monokuma army!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She paused, the door just barely cracked open. “...Does it have anything to do with weapons?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Shuichi quickly shook his head. “Of course not. Please, let me explain. Come with me to the library and I’ll show you. Just... please help me. There are no other options.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>After a moment of consideration, she opened the door. “What about the bag?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He gave a sheepish smile as he answered. “It’s parts for what we’ll need. May I leave it here? It’s kinda heavy...”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Sighing, Miu grabbed the bag, staggering for a second from the weight, and setting it down next to the door. “Let’s get this shit over with.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <strong>[&gt;&lt;]</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“So, none of you are going to fight with us?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>After being rejected by Miu, Kaito sulked off to the dining hall where he found some of the remaining people he hadn’t asked about fighting the Monokuma army. His brief pitch was shut down by all three potential fighters.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>”I just don’t think I’m that good in a fight,” Kaede admitted. He had caught them while they were eating dinner, so she had a plate of chicken and rice in front of her. She felt a bit guilty eating while Kaito was trying to recruit them, so her plate was untouched while they talked it out.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Korekiyo, on the other hand, didn’t feel the same, taking a sip of his tea while Kaede gave her answer. “I decline for similar reasons. I may be knowledgeable in many different cultures of the world, but I do not know many fighting moves. The closest thing would be self-defense skills I learned from a trip to America.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The last refusal came from Himiko, who almost fell asleep while Kaito explained his plan. Fortunately, he had a habit of banging on the table due to his slightly dramatic gesturing. “I wouldn’t be any good either... My magic can do many things, but it cannot kill. Would you like it if I turned them all purple?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Once again pounding his fist on the tabletop in frustration, Kaito groaned. “The color doesn’t matter! What matters is defeating Monokuma and his army! If I just had enough people and weapons, we could do this!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>”That’s another thing,” Korekiyo interjected. “You said that Miu refused to build you your arsenal of weapons. What do you plan to use instead?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Throwing his arm out, Kaito pointed towards the door to the kitchen. “We’ll have to use what we got! Knives, cleavers, sharp stuff like that.” Once again, he slammed his hand down on the table to make a point, jolting Himiko awake. “There’s some stuff in the warehouse, too! Like cans of gas and iron shot put balls! We could use those to set them on fire or hit them from a distance!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kaede stirred her fork through her rice, considering taking a bite. “I’m not sure if any of us could throw a heavy ball like that. And is there anything to light the fire?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>”I could ignite it with my magic,” Himiko offered, seeming a little interested in the possibility of using her talent. “Or I could make the floor slippery so they can’t stand up when they attack.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Picturing the scene in her head, Kaede raised her finger inquisitively. “Wouldn’t the gas make the floor slippery already?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The astronaut jumped in immediately on that idea. “And then they get covered in gas and that’s when we light it! Genius!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Korekiyo closed his eyes, thinking carefully about this proposed fire plan. “I suppose a candle would be enough to start a fire. If there is not a lighter in the warehouse, then that could work. If there are any candles around.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>”There’s a small blowtorch in the kitchen!” Kaito was grinning happily, really excited that this plan was coming along nicely. “According to Kirumi, it’s used for crème brûlées. That could work!” Crossing his arms, he sat back in his seat, confident in his plan of attack. “So, with all of that, can you three say you won’t fight alongside us?” The three of them looked at each other and then shook their heads in silence. Kaede looked a bit sadder than the other two. This time, Kaito slamming his fist on the table was punctuated with him standing up with an angry look in his eye. “WHY NOT!?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Himiko gave her answer as Korekiyo took another sip. “If you don’t need my magic to start the fire, I’ll just go sleep in my room while you do it. I can’t do anything else to robots.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Finished with his cup, Korekiyo poured himself some more tea. “Once again, I do not know many fighting moves. Additionally, I have doubts that fire will do much to stop an army of robots. If anything, the fire will just make it easier for them to destroy us.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>”I still don’t feel comfortable doing it.” Kaede poked at her chicken. “I’m not a fighter and I’m worried I’d just mess things up. I’m sorry, Kaito.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The rejected male looked between the three of them. He grit his teeth as he gave the table one more pound. “Dammit! You three were the last ones! Unless I want to ask Kirumi, but I doubt she could help.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>That statement made Korekiyo raise an eyebrow. “What do you mean by that?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Sighing, Kaito scratched the back of his head as he spoke. “I dunno. She’s a maid. What could she do? Fold Monokuma’s laundry?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>”I had a pleasant chat with Kirumi yesterday morning,” Korekiyo explained. “We shared pleasantries and tales of our pasts. She has served hundreds of clients in her career, learning numerous skills of all sorts. She may have excellent bedside manner and housekeeping abilities, but she is also trained in several types of self-defense, has enough knowledge to wield any blade as a weapon, and received combat training from a military general who was a former client. Her talents are unmatched in many fields, even if she still lacks expertise in topics such as anthropology and robotics.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It took a minute for Kaito to process all of that. Once he has mulled it over in his head, he grinned confidently before answering. “That sounds perfect! Man, I should not have underestimated her. I’ll go find her right now. See you guys later!” With a quick wave, he hurried out of the room, ready to search the school grounds for the maid.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Nodding, Korekiyo munched on a biscuit from his finger bowl, noting Himiko already dozing off. “That could’ve gone quicker.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kaede stared down at her food. By now, it was cold, having sat there during the whole conversation. “Yeah... I guess it could’ve.” She sheepishly picked up her plate and went into the kitchen to reheat it.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <strong>[&gt;&lt;]</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The library. Miu had only come to the library once so far, failing to find the Kama Sutra. What could Shuichi be planning that involved a bunch of books? When they arrived, there was another person already there, browsing the shelves. “Hello, Maki,” Shuichi greeted, doing his best to sound casual. “What are you doing here?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>From the brief amount of time she’s known her, Miu found Maki to always have a cold glare in her eyes. This time was no different. The girl stared daggers at them as she put the book in her hand back on the shelf. “..what are you two doing here?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Seeing Shuichi was about to stammer an answer, Miu stepped forward and stood their ground. “He asked you first.” Maki’s brow furrowed, the two girls attempting to glare each other into answering first. Quickly, Miu cracked and began to shiver. “S-Stop looking at me like that...”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Fortunately, Shuichi was able to keep his composure and give a convincing lie. “Miu’s going to build weapons for Kaito’s group to fight Monokuma. We’re here to look for possible blueprints or designs she could use. Is that okay?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Rolling her eyes, the girl walked towards them, her tone apathetic. “I don’t care. I was looking for something interesting to read as I await a painful death by robotic bears, but if she’s going to be here, I’ll gladly be somewhere less annoying.” Miu clenched her fist as she gave Maki an angry look, but the icy gaze she received sent her immediately back to her prior submissive state. “Don’t even try it.” Pushing past them both, the standoffish girl left the library, not even bothering to close the door.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Stepping away from the door, Miu regained her composure, cursing out Maki. “That rude bitch. Whatever stick is stuck up her ass deserves to be shoved up even further!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Deciding not to respond to that, Shuichi headed for the back of the library. “So... if you’re alright, I’d like to show you something back here. Give me a second...”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Five large bookcases, each about twelve feet tall, lined the back wall of the library. The boy scanned the shelf halfway up of the center bookcase. He spotted a book he seemingly recognized and pulled it out. “Take a look.” He gestured to the empty spot on the shelf he created.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Curious, Miu peered behind where the book was placed. Behind it was a small black button, barely visible from how small it was. Her eyes went wide, turning to Shuichi who gave her an approving nod. Hesitantly, she pressed the button and felt the bookcase began to move. As they both backed away, the shelf moved like it was on a door hinge, revealing something hidden behind it. A metal door, only half the height of the large bookcase. It was colored black and white, split down the middle just like Monokuma. Next to it was a keycard scanner, likely explaining the lack of a door handle. “What the shit is this!?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Approaching the newly revealed entrance, Shuichi answered straightforwardly. “I believe it’s a door only the mastermind can open.” He glanced back at her. “It’s also where they’re going to make the army of Monokumas.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>That took the girl by surprise. “What!? How the fuck do you know that?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I discovered this door the morning Monokuma announced the motive,” he explained, talking like someone giving a presentation to an audience. “After some thought, I realized something important. What is the purpose of this door? If it was for Monokuma or the Monokubs, it shouldn’t have to be hidden, as we can’t open it. That means this door is meant for a person to use. That person is the mastermind. And if the mastermind needs this hidden door, that means it’s very likely that one of us is the mastermind.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Miu stared at the door, processing the meaning behind his words. “One of us? Someone here is lying about everything? Someone who wants us all dead?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Shuichi put his hand to his chin, considering that thought. “That’s... unclear right now. If their goal is just to kill us, there’s no reason to delay the Monokuma army. Regardless, back to what I know about this door.” He pointed out the keycard scanner next to the door. “I conducted a little test using this scanner. Do you remember when Monokuma accidentally got crushed by the Exisals two days ago?” A nod permitted him to continue. “Well, when I discovered this door that morning, I placed some dust in the card reader. Not enough that someone would notice it without looking closely, but enough to be able to tell of it was disturbed. After Monokuma came back yesterday, I checked the scanner and noticed the dust was gone, meaning the mastermind used this door between the times Monokuma was destroyed and when he was created again. That means whenever they have to make another Monokuma, they have to use this door.” He looked back at her again. “Does that make sense?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Crossing her arms, Miu nodded. “Yeah, that seems to add up. It’s kinda fucked up that whoever that asshole is, they’re working right under our noses...”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Shuichi sighed. “I know. It’s scary to think about who might be the person lying to all of us. But, whoever they are, they need to use this door to make additional Monokumas. And, as Monokuma said, an army of Monokumas will be made to kill us all tomorrow night. So they’d have to use this door tomorrow to create the army. Do you see where I’m going with this?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Quickly connecting the dots, Miu’s sense of concern turned to confidence as a grin stretched across her face. “Hell yeah, I do! If we set up some surveillance in here, we’d be able to know when they come here to make the Monokumas. Then we take them down and go home! Easy as cream pie! How’d you find this thing, anyway?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Shuichi pointed to the top of the bookcase. “Do you see how there are stacks of books on top of all the bookcases? I noticed there  wasn’t a single book on top of this one.” He crouched down to bring her attention to some subtle markings on the floor. “When I took a closer look, I found these. That indicated the possibility of the bookcase moving, but it’s too heavy to push or pull. I searched the shelves and eventually found that button.” Holding the book he took earlier out to her, the title was visible. The Tale of the Sinister Fisherman. A mystery novel. “The only mystery novels in here are in a stack over there. I picked one out to mark where this is and hide it from the others.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>So he wouldn’t have to hold it the whole time, he set the book back on the shelf. “Hide it?” Miu asked, concerned. “We’re not gonna tell the others?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“We... can’t.” It was clear he didn’t like the idea of keeping secrets. His voice was quieter and he pulled the brim of his hat down to break the eye contact he and Miu had been keeping prior. “If the mastermind discovers our plan, they might put a stop to it. Whether it’s sabotaging the cameras or having the Monokubs prevent us from doing it, it’s unlikely that they’d just let us execute it. They want a murder or else we’ll all die. If we don’t stop them...” He went silent.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The logic made sense. It sucked to have to keep the plan to save everyone a secret, but better safe than sorry. Miu began to think about the details of the plan and remembered the bag of cameras and sensors he brought to her lab. Her tone turned a bit more inquisitive. “Hey, Shuichi. What kinda setup are you thinking for all of this?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Letting go of his hat, he took a look around the library again. Most of the bookcases were also about twelve feet in height, set up against the walls. Many of them had a number of their books scattered throughout the room in piles and stacks of various sizes. There were only two shelves that were shorter than the others, both set up on the right side of the room. They acted as dividers between the three sets of bookcases on that side. Above the shelf closest to the entrance was a vent that connected into the ceiling. In the back corner was another door to the hallway, likely unused as the front entrance was much closer to the stairs. A large globe sat near one of the shelves and there was a tall moving ladder nearby, able to reach the top of any of the bookcases or the vent.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>When he was finished examining the room, he pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket. It was a crude overhead map of the library with some markings and small text. “I did a rough sketch earlier. I don’t think I want to make any changes. But, you can, considering you’re the one who’ll be making what we need.” Miu looked over his shoulder to see as he pointed out the specifics of the drawing. His finger brushed across the paper to a spot on the bookcase labeled entrance sensor. “The plan is to attach a motion sensor connected to a remote to the bookcase. When it activates, we’ll know the mastermind is about to enter the secret room. That’s when we’ll rush in and apprehend them.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>”A remote?” Miu could easily make a remote connected to a motion sensor, but she had a different concern. “Depending on how strong the signal is, the remote might not work from too far away. Do you know how powerful the sensors are?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Shuichi thought back on his gathering of the materials in the warehouse. “The sensors didn’t have any labels on them. Neither did the remote. Is there a way for you to figure it out?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The girl dismissed his worries with a hand wave. “Yeah, yeah, it’s pretty easy to test. What else is there?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Next, he motioned to a spot in the back corner of the room, right of the hidden door. “Here, we’ll set up a camera that also activates when the bookcase opens. It’ll flash when it takes a photo, catching the attention of the mastermind. That will hopefully distract them long enough for us to arrive in time to stop them.” Lastly, he pointed out two positions marked as guards. “And there’s also the failsafe. There were some walkie-talkies in the warehouse. I want to post a guard at each entrance. It might scare off the mastermind, or it could just delay them. If we’re really lucky, keeping them away from the door will prevent them from creating the army. Even if it doesn’t, we can still stop them by force.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Miu gave him a concerned look. “What happened to not telling anyone else?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I want to let as few people as possible in on this plan,” he reiterated, tucking the paper back into his pocket. “But, at the same time, it requires a few already. Fortunately, I already know two people who I believe we can trust with the job. Kirumi and Rantaro.” The look she gave him told him he needed to explain more. “Kirumi found me working on the sketch and offered her assistance with whatever I was doing. I couldn’t tell if she knew what it was for, but I don’t think she had any ulterior motives. As for Rantaro, he can’t remember his talent. The mastermind knows everything that’s going on, and it makes no sense for them to pretend to have amnesia. Not only does it draw unnecessary suspicion, but they also could just have made up a talent if they don’t have one. There’s no way to prove if any of us are lying about our talents. It’s a stretch, but he’s the one I feel we can trust the most right now.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>To Miu, that sounded like he didn’t trust her as much as some random guy with amnesia. She scoffed, putting a hand on her hip. “How do you know that isn’t all part of the act? It got you to trust him, didn’t it?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Sighing, Shuichi walked over to the bookcase and pulled the mystery novel back out. “Yes, it could all be a lie. But any of us could be lying about not being the mastermind. There could be two or three or perhaps everyone else here is conspiring together. That’s only the worst-case scenario, though. I trust Rantaro, and for now, I have to trust you and Kirumi. It’s the safest way to do this.” He pushed the button and placed the book back after it closed. “Are you okay with that?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Miu gritted her teeth as she wrestled with the idea in her head. “...Fine. So, I need to make a camera that activates from a motion sensor on the bookcase, and a remote that lets us know when the bookcase opens, right?” A nod confirmed her task. “Well, can I add something to that list?” She turned and pointed up to the vent. “Do you know where that thing comes out to?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Unsure where she was going with that, Shuichi walked up beside her and looked at the vent. “I do. I checked it when planning where to set up the camera. It connects to the classroom on the first floor. Theoretically, someone could crawl through there, but there’s no way to open it from the inside. The grate is screwed shut. Additionally, they’d have to be relatively short. I checked if I could fit and I was barely too big. Do you think the mastermind is going to use it?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She shook her head. “No, I have a different idea. When I was looking for drugs in the warehouse, I saw a video camera on one of the shelves. I took it back to my room, so we could definitely use it. We have the camera for the bookcase, but what if we had an actual surveillance camera?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Shuichi gave her a strange look. “What did you need the video camera for?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>”We could unscrew that grate with some of the tools from my lab,” she continued, dodging the question. “We put the camera in there, seal it back up, and we’ll have a live video feed of the library. The AV room is close enough that there shouldn’t be any connection issues. Plus, once you see them, you’ll be able to get here in a hurry. Sure, the slits in the grate will obstruct the vision a little, but keeping it shut will make it harder for them to notice it. It’s another way to let us know when they enter the library.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Putting his hand to his chin, Shuichi appeared to be considering the possible pros and cons of her plan. After a moment, he gave his decision. “I suppose that wouldn’t interfere with anything else in the plan. Alright. If you can finish it all by tomorrow morning, we should still be able to do everything as planned. I need to ask Rantaro about guard duty now...”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As he turned to leave, Miu grabbed his shoulder, spinning him to face her. She did not look happy. “TOMORROW MORNING!? You couldn’t have come sooner? The day’s almost over! To test the strength of the remote, I’ll need to pull an all-nighter. There’s no way your limp dick is going to keep me up all night!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Shuichi had never seen this worked up before. It shook the confidence right out of him, resulting in a flustered boy trying his best to calm her down. “B-But we won’t know when the mastermind will go to the room. We’ll have to keep watch all d-day...”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>”ALL DAY!?” Even angrier now, Miu grabbed both of his shoulders and stared furiously into his eyes, making him somehow miss Maki’s cold stares from earlier. “I’m not gonna sit in the AV room jerking it with you until the mastermind shows up. I can make all that shit by tomorrow morning, but do not expect anything else!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Trying his best to keep it together, and failing miserably, Shuichi proposed a compromise. “Okay... h-how about this? I’ll watch the video feed in the AV room alone while you can just carry around the remote wherever the range lets you go. Just... please don’t hurt me...”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Once she saw how scared he was, Miu snapped back to her less aggressive side and let go of him, looking away as an embarrassed blush filled her cheeks. “I won’t hurt you... I can’t hurt anyone, even if I tried.” She shook her head, regaining her composure. “But don’t think that means you can make me do anything you want. Save that for your fetish dreams, you pervert.” Before he could deny anything, Miu headed for the door. “I’ll be back here at six in the morning to help you set all this shit up. Bring coffee. Lots of sugar. No cream.” Those were her last words before leaving the room.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Alone in the library, Shuichi looked up at the vent and smiled. A pretty smart addition. Now he knew he could trust Miu. Plus, when she grabbed him, he paid attention to her eyes. Being a detective, he’d been getting the hang of the subtle cues someone gives off when they’re lying. A physical tic, a change in tone or voice, an overall more nervous demeanor. Though he was frightened when she up close with him, he was able to tell one thing, even if they hadn’t known each other for that long.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Those weren’t the eyes of a liar.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <strong>[&gt;&lt;]</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Having finally tracked down Kirumi, Kaito was not pleased when the maid turned down his offer to stand and fight against Monokuma’s army. She was in the courtyard, posing as a model for Angie, who was hard at work painting her newest subject. “What do you mean you’re busy!? We could all be killed! It can’t take that long for her to paint you!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kirumi only moved her lips when speaking, keeping every other part of her body still, except for her mouth and occasionally blinking eyes. “It is not Angie who I will be assisting tomorrow. It will be Shuichi.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The male groaned, looking back towards the school building. “I saw him carrying some bag or something to Miu’s lab. What the hell is he planning?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>”Perhaps there is something he wanted her to build him, yes?” Angie didn’t look up from her canvas when she answered. She was able to talk and paint at the same time. “Seems like a reasonable thing to ask of an inventor.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Remembering his visit to Miu’s earlier, Kaito scowled as he turned back to Kirumi. “What are you helping him with?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Like always, her tone was serious and monotone, almost like a robot following orders. “He requested I keep it a secret. I assure you, however, that it is a noble goal. Please refrain from trying to stop him or I will have to take action to prevent you.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Despite not even looking at him, her words were enough to scare that idea right out of his head. “I won’t... I get it. I just... I’m mad that she might agree to help him instead of me. I’m trying to save our lives!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Squinting at her model, Angie figured how to properly detail her gloves. “Perhaps he is too. After all, Kirumi did say it was a noble goal.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>”While he requested I not share any specific details, I suppose I can tell you that he is indeed planning to stop the army of Monokumas.” Her back began to itch a little. “Lower back,” she stated, signaling Angie to put down her paintbrush and give her model a scratch so she wouldn’t have to move. “Thank you.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As Angie resumed painting, Kaito crossed his arms, a little happier. “Well, if it’s another plan to save our asses, I can’t complain. Two heads are better than one, after all.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Doing her best not to change her expression or nod, Kirumi agreed. “Indeed. I suppose his plan sounds a bit impossible to some, but I believe-“</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>”DAMMIT!” Kaito shouted, startling the painter. The maid held strong, not moving a muscle. “Is she gonna agree to his impossible plan but not mine? I won’t stop them, but I need to find out what they’re doing!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Realizing her slight jump caused her to smear part of her painting, Angie scowled at the loud boy. “If you are just going to distract me and my model, I suggest you leave, Kaito. We are going to have to start again, Kirumi. You may change positions if you like.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I shall remain in this pose,” she stated. “I am already accustomed to staying still like this, so I will hold strong.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Preparing a new canvas, the artist shot another glare at Kaito. “I would like you to leave now.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Sighing, Kaito began to walk off. “It’s not my fault that you don’t have a lab! Painting outside seems dumb anyway. A buncha bugs or something might get in your paint.” He left the courtyard, heading for Miu’s lab. After he was out of earshot of the two girls, he heard a voice address him from the trees.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>”You won’t find either of them there. She hasn’t come back yet.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Looking for the source of the voice, his eyes landed on the individual as they walked out from behind a tree, leaning against it once they were in view. Kaito pinched the bridge of his nose, already not looking forward to this conversation. “What do you want, Kokichi?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The short boy chuckled at the obvious frustration from the astronaut. “Oh, poor little Kaito. Having to talk to me is such a horrible experience.” He clutched his chest dramatically. “You wound me, Kaito. You really do.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kaito furrowed his brow. “You’re one to call someone little, pipsqueak.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>”An attack on my height. How hurtful. How original. I cannot believe you would stoop that low.” His wide grin and incredibly fake tone just annoyed him even more. “What other incredible insults can you come up with? Are you going to say I look like I’m wearing a straightjacket?” Growling, Kaito turned around and began heading for the dorms. “Hey, where are you going? We were just starting!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As Kokichi followed a couple of feet behind, he was obviously not appreciated. “You said they’re gone, right? Well, it’s getting late. I think I’ll just go to bed early tonight. Get some rest so I have enough energy to fight tomorrow.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>”You still think a bunch of people can fight a robot army? You really are stupid, aren’t you?” Kaito spun around, finding a giggling little shit. “They’re made of metal! Without proper weaponry, you have no chance of winning! Why don’t you just relax and let Shuichi save the day? He actually knows what he’s doing.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kaito was surprised by that and stepped forward. “You know what he’s planning?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kokichi shrugged, putting his hands behind his head. “Not really. Just something that’ll stop the mastermind from making the army in the first place. You want to fight a chicken, but he wants to keep the egg from hatching. Much smart, isn’t it, Space Boy?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Back to his usual annoying self, Kaito continued his walk. “Shut up. I’m not gonna stop him from whatever he’s doing, but I’m still gonna prepare for the battle, just in case. He better at least tell me his plan at breakfast tomorrow.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Looking up at the sky, Kokichi noted the sun almost setting. “I wouldn’t count on it. He’s being pretty secretive about it. Very hush hush, need-to-know basis, classified information kind of stuff. Seems like he’s only letting those in on the plan know. I don’t think a dumb nobody like you would be allowed that kind of info.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>His signature giggle made Kaito clench his fist, fighting the urge to punch the kid. “Shut the fuck up, pipsqueak. Go bother someone else.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kokichi sighed. “I’m disappointed, Kaito. I thought you might want to talk to me today, but you’re being rude as usual. And here I thought I could tell you about my plan to stop Monokuma.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>That caught his attention. He turned around quickly after that. “What are you-“ Kaito quickly realized that Kokichi had somehow vanished in that short amount of time. Looking around, his best guess was the trees, but it was so quiet. He sighed, looking up at the sky. The bright blue was beginning to turn red.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lying little shit...</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <strong>[&gt;&lt;]</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>After a brief search around the building, Shuichi found Rantaro in the dining hall, gathering up some plates with Gonta. The gentle giant was the first to notice his entrance and smiled. “Shuichi! Hello there! Are you here for dinner?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Shuichi shook his head. “No, but I guess it couldn’t hurt. What did Kirumi make tonight?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>”Nothing,” Rantaro answered, balancing a small stack of plates in his arms. “I decided to whip something up since she didn’t. I hope you like spaghetti.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Taking a seat, Shuichi noted the canister of Parmesan cheese left on the table. “Was she busy?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Rantaro looked at Gonta, thinking about how to answer that. “...Technically. Wait here, I’ll be right out with a plate.” He went into the kitchen with the dirty dishes.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Once he handed his plates to Rantaro, Gonta sat down next to the other boy. “It is very tasty! Some of the others had seconds or thirds, but Gonta had four whole plates of it!” He was very proud of himself for that achievement.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>”That’s pretty impressive,” Shuichi happily complimented. “I can’t wait to try it myself.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Only a few minutes of small talk with Gonta later, Rantaro had brought out a plate for Shuichi, as well as one for Gonta. “I figured you might still want some. I remembered how you like it, too.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The large boy’s eyes nearly sparkled as he looked hungrily at his noodles. Unlike Shuichi’s, which had regular marinara, Gonta preferred having butter on his spaghetti. After they sprinkled some cheese on their food, they dug in as Rantaro sat down across from them. “How’s it taste? Would you have liked butter, too? Maybe no meatballs?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>His mouth full, Shuichi shook his head before swallowing his first bite. “No, it’s fine as it is. Thank you.” The green-haired boy smiled. “Rantaro, I came here looking to talk to you.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He raised his eyebrow curiously. “What do you need?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Glancing over at Gonta, Shuichi chose his words carefully. “Could we perhaps speak in private?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>”Is there something wrong with Gonta being here?” the giant asked, sounding a bit hurt. “He promises not to tell anyone the details!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Rantaro chuckled at the innocent nature of the entomologist. “Hey now, big guy. Sometimes people like to keep things private. Go eat in the kitchen and I’ll come to get you when we’re finished talking, alright?” Gonta looked between them for a moment before nodding and taking his food into the kitchen. Once he left, Rantaro’s laidback expression turned serious as he turned back to Shuichi. “This is about the deadline tomorrow, isn’t it?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Shuichi was a bit surprised at the sudden shift in tone. “How did you know?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Letting out a low chuckle, Rantaro sat back in his seat. “I can’t see much else you’d have secrets about. You’re a very honest person, Shuichi.” The detective blushed, flattered and embarrassed that someone else was able to read him like that. “I already told Kaito I wasn’t going to help him fight the robots, so I hope your plan is at least something more reasonable.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>”It is,” he assured him. “Miu and I will be setting up a surveillance system to catch the mastermind when they go to create the army of Monokumas. We plan to either scare them off to prevent them from fulfilling the deadline or to distract them enough that we can stop them by force before they can even try. I’d greatly appreciate it if you could be one of the guards we need.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Rantaro listened closely as the plan was briefly explained to him. “Why me in particular? Couldn’t you or Miu work as a guard? Or if you need to watch the surveillance, Kirumi is always ready to help.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>”I know she is,” Shuichi stated. “She’s already agreed to be one of the guards. She’s going to wait inside the room while the other guard waits outside. I’ll be watching the room through a video feed and Miu will have a remote that will let her know when the mastermind is about to enter the room where they’ll make the army of Monokumas. I need to keep this to as few people as possible, and I feel that I can trust you.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>That earned him a curious look. “Why’s that?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The detective sighed, hoping his logic would make sense to him as much as it did to Miu. “You can’t remember your talent. If the mastermind didn’t want to arouse suspicion, they would either tell everyone their talent or lie if their talent would make them more suspect than not. I can’t find any malicious reason to lie about your amnesia. Plus, there’s also what happened yesterday.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>”Yesterday?” Rantaro couldn’t remember anything particularly unusual that he did yesterday. Monokuma announced the two-day time limit, but that didn’t directly involve him. Nothing else came to mind as noteworthy. “What did I do yesterday?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>”You asked about something, didn’t you?” Shuichi asked. “The UEF.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s true... but it didn’t mean anything in the end.” Yesterday, Rantaro asked if anyone knew what UEF meant. The first night they spent in this place, he had a strange dream that felt almost like a memory. Two people were talking, but everything was so fuzzy that he couldn’t make out much of what they were saying or what they sounded like. The only thing he was able to understand was someone saying the words “the UEF.” The next morning, he asked everyone at breakfast if any of them knew what that meant. It didn’t ring a bell for anyone, so he just shrugged it off as a bad dream. “That doesn’t make me more trustworthy. If anything, that sounds more suspicious.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“To most people, probably, but not to me.” Shuichi’s voice became a bit lower as he explained. “When you asked if I recognized those words, I couldn’t think of anything. But last night, I started thinking about it before going to bed and had a very faint feeling in the back of my head that I’ve heard of it somewhere. That’s why I feel I can trust you because whatever the UEF is, whyever you got amnesia, I know you’re not lying about it. It’s risky, I know, but you’re one of the safest bets I can make. Please, Rantaro. Will you do it?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>There was a silence as Rantaro crossed his arms. He thought about the proposition for a while until another voice caught both of their attention. “Um... Gonta could be the guard if Rantaro doesn’t want to.” From the door to the kitchen, Gonta’s head peeked out into the dining hall.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Shuichi stood up, beginning to worry. “How much did you hear?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Sheepishly, Gonta stepped out into the room with them. “Gonta had been listening almost the whole time. He finished his noodles quickly and was curious what Shuichi and Rantaro were talking about.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Nearly instantaneous, Rantaro’s demeanor shifted to a balance between his earlier laidback attitude and his serious mood just prior. “Now, now, don’t get upset, Shuichi. I think we can trust him. If he was the mastermind, he wouldn’t have let us know that he knows the plan now, would he?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Shuichi was shocked at how perceptive Rantaro was. “I... guess that’s true.” He awkwardly scratched his neck as he addressed Gonta. “If you really want to be the other guard, I don’t see anything wrong with it. Hopefully, Miu won’t be upset by this.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Actually, I have a request for you now, Shuichi,” Rantaro said. “Would you mind if I watched the video feed with you? I’d like to help in case you do end up needing to use force. I’m not as strong as Gonta or as skilled as Kirumi, but it’d be better than sitting around doing nothing. Since I know about the plan, it wouldn’t hurt, right?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Putting a hand to his chin, Shuichi considered the offer. “I suppose it wouldn’t. We’ll have to set everything up at 6 am. Is that too early for you two?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Both boys shook their heads. “An hour isn’t that big a deal to me,” Rantaro confirmed. “I could just turn in now to get some extra rest. It’s almost nighttime, after all.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Gonta nodded, happy that he got to be a part of something that would help everyone. “Indeed! Gonta will be there at six o’clock on the dot! ...Where exactly is the place that is being set up?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>”The library,” Shuichi said frankly. “I can show you both in detail tomorrow morning. For now, go and get some sleep. I have some spaghetti to finish.” He took another bite of his food, giving Rantaro a pleased smile as the two of them left the room.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It wasn’t exactly what he was expecting, but he got someone to be the other guard, and now he had someone to keep him company as he watched the video feed for however long it took before the mastermind arrives. And he got to enjoy a tasty plate of spaghetti.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Maybe things would turn out alright tomorrow.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <strong>[&gt;&lt;]</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Before beginning her work, Miu checked to make sure she had everything she needed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Video camera? Check.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Flash camera? Check.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Motion sensor? Check.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Remote? Check.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Besides the video camera, those were all the things in Shuichi’s bag that he left at her lab. There were some extra cameras and sensors, supposedly in case she needed extra parts or made a mistake, but she was the Ultimate Inventor. Stuff like this was easier than getting a horny teenager to cum. The harder part was testing the range on the sensors. It wasn’t important for the video camera, but since she’d be the one with the remote, it mattered to her.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>To test it, she was going to build a drone. When she grabbed the video camera from the warehouse, she also grabbed a few RC helicopters. If she was making a drone, might as well have a camera feature on it. It might come in handy someday. She’d mount the sensor to the drone and fly it as far away as she could. When the remote stops reacting to the swaying of the sensor on the drone, that’s the limit. Easy as shit. The hard part was building the actual drone. The other stuff was child’s play, but drones were complicated machinery. If she was going to get everything done by tomorrow morning, she’d have to go until about 1 am. Not quite the all-nighter she was expecting, but it still cut into her beauty sleep.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>DING DONG BING BONG</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And right on cue was the nighttime announcement. Miu did her best to ignore it as she checked the blueprints she drew up. This was doable. Though he radiated virgin energy, she had to give Shuichi credit for coming up with a pretty good plan. As long as no one fucked it up, they might be able to stop the mastermind.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>But now was no time to get cocky. Putting on her goggles, she began to get to work, ready for whatever may happen tomorrow.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Or at least, so she thought at the time.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
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